כְּרֵשׂ
𐤊𐤓𐤔
kᵉrês
H3770 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Internal organ, specifically the paunch, abdomen, or belly, most commonly referring to the stomach or large sac-like portion of an animal's digestive tract; in Levitical and priestly contexts, denotes the visceral cavity or part among entrails of sacrificial animals.
Semantic Range
paunch (of an animal), belly, stomach, visceral sac, curved abdominal organ
Root / Etymology
From root קָרַס (karas, 'to bend, curve,' or possibly 'to be thick' or 'swollen'), with the substantive כְּרֵשׂ (kerês) denoting a curved or swelling organ. The form represents either a variant or secondary derivation from the root, with the -ês ending common in Hebrew noun formation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term כְּרֵשׂ is a technical term in priestly law (e.g., Lev 3:3, 9; 4:9; 7:3), where it specifically refers to the internal cavity or 'paunch' of a sacrificial animal, distinguished from other innards and fat portions. The word appears only in priestly texts and instructions regarding sacrificial procedure. It is used alongside other anatomical terms for different organs and fats (such as יָתֶרֶת 'lobe,' כְּלָיוֹת 'kidneys'). Later translations and commentaries sometimes render כְּרֵשׂ imprecisely as 'belly' or 'paunch,' but in biblical usage it refers most narrowly to the rumen or visceral sac in ruminant animals. There is no evidence for metaphorical or expanded uses in the Hebrew Bible. In rabbinic and later tradition, more specific anatomical uses or identifications may develop, but in Tanakh usage, it remains tied to priestly animal anatomy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
by variation from קָרַס; the paunch or belly (as swelling out); belly.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קרס (q-r-s) — bend, curve, be thick, swell
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7164 | קָרַס | they were hump-backed |
| H7165 | קֶרֶס | with the hook-fasteners |
| H7166 | קַרְסֹל | my ankle joints |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3770-01 |
כְרֵשׂ֖/וֹ | khereso | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his-belly | his curved belly | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3770-01 |
Jeremiah 51:34 | כְרֵשׂ֖/וֹ | khereso | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his-belly | his curved belly |